Redcastle Family School

Inspection of Redcastle Family School St Martin’s Way, Thetford, Norfolk IP24 3PU

p.1

Inspection dates: 15 and 16 November 2022

p.1

Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 15 and 16 November 2022

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Redcastle Family School truly is a ‘family’ school, where pupils are happy, safe and enjoy learning. Adults care deeply for pupils and know them well. Pupils are valued, listened to, and seen as individuals. The positive relationships between adults and pupils mean that most behave very well.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils live up to the high expectations adults set. They work hard in class, listen to each other, and enjoy socialising in the playground. Pupils know that everyone is different. They enjoy learning about people’s different beliefs and backgrounds and treat everyone as individuals.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know the difference between bullying and falling out with friends. Bullying happens infrequently. If it does happen, adults step in quickly to deal with it. Pupils know that adults will help them if they have a problem.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

The wide range of extra opportunities pupils have access to helps them develop as active and responsible citizens of Thetford. Older pupils love carrying out their ‘monitor’ roles. They develop a strong sense of responsibility.

p.2

better?

Leaders have designed a curriculum that clearly and deliberately sets out the important knowledge and skills pupils will learn. In many subjects, pupils develop rich and detailed knowledge. Their learning builds on what pupils already know. Older pupils know much about different periods in history because they have a secure understanding of key concepts such as chronology. In a small number of subjects, leaders have not been as precise in setting out the knowledge and skills pupils need to learn. In these subjects, pupils do not develop the depth of knowledge that they do in other subjects because staff do not have a unified understanding of what to teach and when.

p.2

better?

Teachers have a good knowledge of the subjects they teach. They explain new information to pupils clearly and provide opportunities to practise and revise new concepts. This helps pupils remember more over time.

p.2

better?

Reading is given high priority. Teachers are trained well to teach phonics. This means the youngest pupils learn to read well. They become accurate and fluent readers, reading books that help them learn more about different subjects as they move through the school. Pupils enjoy hearing adults read to them. This happens regularly. Hearing a range of stories inspires pupils to read different genres of books that they may not otherwise have chosen to read.

p.2

better?

Adults prioritise children’s language and vocabulary in the early years. Children listen to a wide range of stories, rhymes and poems. Adults are skilled at supporting children to learn and use many new words. Children are taught to be kind, friendly 15 and 16 November 2022

p.2

3

and to share equipment, which they do. The youngest children are well cared for. Adults know every child as an individual, which means their specific needs are met well. The Nursery and Reception classes provide children with an excellent start to their time in school.

p.3

3

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) learn well. They benefit from carefully adapted activities that allow them to learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Leaders use ‘individual learning plans’ to set out the additional support pupils with SEND will receive. In some cases, the information in these plans is too generic. It does not always precisely set out what pupils will learn. Consequently, leaders cannot accurately see if this extra support is making the intended difference.

p.3

3

Pupils generally behave well in school. They show respect to adults and each other. Playtimes are happy and pupils from different classes mix well. A small number of pupils need extra support to help them behave well. Leaders’ provision for these pupils is of a high quality. Pupils who attend the school’s specialist resource base receive excellent support. They attend lessons with their friends in the mainstream classes when they feel ready.

p.3

3

Pupils have many opportunities to take part in clubs and activities. Many of these are sporting clubs. Pupils have the chance to compete against other schools in local competitions and festivals. They also have the opportunity to attend after-school clubs such as those for choir and gardening.

p.3

3

Senior leaders provide effective support for teachers, especially when helping them manage their workload. Teachers who are new to the profession are supported extremely well to learn the ropes.

p.3

3

Governors have an accurate view of the school. They provide effective support to leaders, but do not shy away from asking challenging questions when needed. They do not simply take what leaders tell them at face value. Governors make regular visits to school to see for themselves how well it is operating.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

Safeguarding

Staff are well trained to be able to spot if a pupil might need additional support. If pupils do need help, leaders work well with outside agencies. They quickly follow up on referrals if they feel a pupil is not receiving the help they need. There is a well-established culture of vigilance in school to make sure pupils are safe and know how to stay safe in the local community.

p.3

Safeguarding

Governors make regular checks to satisfy themselves that leaders are doing all they should. Checks on adults who start work in the school are comprehensive and accurately recorded. 15 and 16 November 2022

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the precise knowledge pupils need to know and remember. This means teachers are not clear on what to teach and when. Leaders should ensure that they complete the work they have already started to identify precisely what pupils need to learn in these remaining subjects so that pupils develop the detailed knowledge they need in order to do well.  The ‘individual learning plans’ leaders use to set out the additional support pupils with SEND will receive are not always specific enough. They do not identify exactly what pupils will learn or be able to do. This makes it difficult for leaders to check whether additional support is working effectively. Leaders should ensure that individual learning plans for pupils with SEND contain sufficient information so they can check carefully that the support is helping pupils to learn well.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

Further information

In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 15 and 16 November 2022

p.4

School details

Inspection number 10242088 Type of school Primary

p.5

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 5 July 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school runs an on-site specialist resource base provision for pupils with autism spectrum disorder. This provision currently has 12 pupils on roll.  The school does not currently use alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult. 15 and 16 November 2022

p.5

6

 Inspectors evaluated the curriculum plans and spoke with leaders and pupils about several other subjects.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the early years leader and the pastoral support manager. The lead inspector held a meeting with members of the governing body and a meeting with a representative of the local authority.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised the single central record, reviewed safeguarding paperwork and systems. Inspectors spoke with leaders, teachers, support staff, governors and pupils to evaluate the culture of safeguarding in school.  Inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for parents, along with the responses to Ofsted’s questionnaire for staff.

p.6

Inspection team

Nathan Lowe, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Ashley Best-White Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 November 2022

p.6

7

regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children’s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7